Transmission of digital audiovisual content to customer premises is accomplished today according to a variety of mechanisms, ranging from transmission across traditional cable and satellite television networks to computer networks (e.g., Internet Protocol Television or IPTV) where digital television services are provided using Internet protocol (broadband). At the customer premises, a digital receiver comprises functionality to receive and decode the digital audiovisual content and process for presentation the reconstructed video and/or audio on a display and sound component or generally a multi-media device. Certain stream transition events associated with the transmission of digital audiovisual content may impose delays in the decoding and presentation of the transmitted content.